Web-lock carton

ABSTRACT

A tuck-end or tuck-frame carton containing a web-lock construction for cooperating with a cap of a tapered container such as a bottle or tube and anchoring the container within the carton.

United States Patent Tuitt [341 WEB-LOCK CARTON [72 Inventor: Milton James Tultt, Daly City, Calif.

[73-] Assignee: International-Paper Company, New

9 York, NY.

[22] Filed: Feb.16, 1971 s2 U.S. c1, ..206/45.l4,206/45.34,229/39B s1 lntlCl. "tn-.3650 5/50 [58] Field of Search.206/45.14, 4519,4531, 46 FR, 206145.34; 229/14 C, 39 B 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [151 3,701,415 [451 Oct. 31, 1972 34931163 4 9/1970 cote "206145.14 3,027,996 4/1962 Transport ..206/4s.14 3,089,632 5/1963 Bartolucci ..206/45.34

Primary Examiner-loseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman Attorney-Charles B. Smith and Alfred L. Michaelson [571 ABSTRACT A tuck-end or tuck-frame carton containing a weblock construction for cooperating with a cap of a tapered container such as a bottle or tube and anchoring the'container within the carton.

12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures WEB-LOCK CARTON BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Containers are widely used for packaging fragile articles such as tubes and bottles containing paints, lotions, ointments and the like. Prior art patents show cartons with devices for anchoring containers to prevent movement of the containers. Thus, McGorty et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,778 discloses a carton in combination with a capped tube. The cartonhas a plurality of hingedly interconnected panels. One of the panels is deformable so that it frictionally engages an end of the loaded tube while a second panel is deformable to preclude axial movement of the respective opposite end of the tube. The McGorty et al. carton suffers from the disadvantage that both ends of the tube must be carefully centered in the carton when loading. Loading furthermore is tedious and time-consuming.

Schnee US. Pat. No. 3,018,030 provides a carton whose end is formed of flaps inturned from the upper ends of the carton sides'and wherein at least some of the inwardly turned flaps are provided with arcuate' recesses for receiving-the neck of a container. Flaps of the container are held in a closed position by the container cap which is adapted to contact the upper surfaces of the two upper flaps of the carton to prevent their displacement. In the Schnee carton, the cap of a container is continually exposed to the outside. Assembly and the loading of the Schnee carton can be difficult. The flaps, engageable beneath the lip of the container cap, are subject to wear and can create a pressure on the cap especially when the carton is manually transported. I

Franco US. Pat. No. 3,384,222 discloses a protective carton for fragile tubes in which an axially collapsible outer sleeve of paperboard is provided adjacent one end with inwardly deformable flaps engageable beneath the cap lip to prevent axial movement of the tube. Notches at the other end of said sleeve receive the oppositeend of the tube and further restrain the tubes movement. The Franco carton suffers from the disadvantages associated with the Schnee and McGorty cartons. Thus, since loading and centering of the tubes involves both ends of the carton, loading can be tedious and difficult. The edge of the flaps of the Franco con tainer being beneath the lip of the tube cap are subject to wear and can exert a pressure on the cap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a novel carton with a weblock construction for anchoring a tapered container as a bottle or tube within the carton. The term tapered container as used in this application is a capped container in which the circumference of the cap is less than the circumference of the base of the container, a taper thus being formed by the shape of the container. An object of this invention is to provide carton eliminating disadvantages of prior art cartons.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tuckend or tuck-frame carton with a novel web-lock construction involving but one end of the carton which web-lock takes substantially no more board than a regular tuck-end carton.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new web-lock device for securing a tapered container in a tuck-end or tuck-frame carton.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient tuck-end or tuck-frame carton for restraining movement of a tapered container within the carton. Another object of this invention is to provide a tuck-end or tuck-framecarton that can be set up automatically or manually for the bottom loading of the tapered container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient tuck-end carton with a restraining device for tapered containers as bottles or tubes, which uses substantially the same amount of board as the tuck end (style) of the carton.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tuck end carton with a web-lock construction that firmly anchors the cap of a loaded, tapered container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tuckend carton that refrains movement of a container but yet frees the lip of the cap of the container from any pressure.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tuck-end carton that is inexpensiveto make, allows for easy die making, and takes up less space in shipment and on the shelf.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tuckend carton that is snug to the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tuckend carton that can provide for substantial visibility of any container within the carton. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a tuckend carton that can be readily and easily opened and reclosed.

With these and other objects, the nature of which will become apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawings, the detailed description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of an assembled carton with parts broken away, according to the invention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are modified forms of container blanks embodying the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With detailed reference now to FIGS. 1-3, the illustrated embodiment of my invention is designed to receive an article 11 as shown in F116. 3 which can be a tube, bottle or other tapered container having a cap engaged therewith.

The carton is formed from an integral cut blank 9 generally shown in extended form (print side) in FIG. 1. Blank 9 is a foldable sheet material, in which a first group of four parallel score lines 4, 6, 8 and 10 divides said blank 9 into four contiguous panels 12, 14, 16 and 18 of equal width and a side seam panel 20 adjacent to said fourth panel 18, smaller in width than said panels l2, 14, 16 and 18. A second group of parallel top score lines 22, 24 and 26 and bottom score lines 28, 30 and 32 are approximately perpendicular to said score lines 4, 6, 8 and 10. Score lines 22 and 28 divide said panel 12 into side panel 34, top closure subpanel 38 and'bottom closure subpanel 40. Score lines 26 and divide said panel 16 into side panel 36, to closure subpanel 42 and bottom closure subpanel 44. Score line 24 divides body panel 14 into side panel 46 and top closure subpanel 66. Score line 32 divides body panel 18 into side panel 50 and bottom closure subpanel 52. Top closure panel 38 comprises two substantially equal sections A and B separated by a diagonal perforated line 54. Top closure panel 42 comprises two substantially equal sections C and D separated by a diagonal perforated line 56. A third section E in panel 38 contains a die cut 58 which allows formation of circle segment 62. Score line 86 separates segments B and E. The third section F in panel 42 contains a diecut 60 which allows formation of a circle segment 64. Score line 80 separates segments F and C. Sections A, B and E are each formed by thirty degree angles as are sections-F, C and D as shown by FIG. 1. The top closure panel element 66 of panel 14 is adapted to completely extend over the top of the carton and contains a flap 70 with score line 69 arranged to inwardly extend and be in tangential contact with side panel 50 when the carton is in the assembled position as shown in FIG. 2. Diecuts 71 and 73 which are slit locks allow easy closure of subpanel 48 which must be square with flap 70. Bottom subpanel element 52 of panel 18 is adapted to completely extend over the bottom of the carton when in an assembled position and contains flap 72 with score line 67 arranged to inwardly extend and be in tangential contact with the side panel 46 when the carton is in the assembled position. Diecuts or slit locks 77 and 79 and diecut allow ready closure of subpanel 52 with flap 72. Panel 20 is in tangential contact with side panel 34 when the carton is in the closed position. Score line 88 separates subpanel 48, which should be square, of top closure subpanel 66 from segment E. Score line 90 separates subpanel 48 from segment F. Position of the container cap, when the carton is loaded is shown at G in subpanel 48 of FIG. I.

The diecuts 58 and 60 together with sections A, B, C and D form a web-lock as shown in FIG. 2 which cooperates with the top of a cap 3 of the container 11 loaded therein as shown in FIG. 3 and anchors said container firmly in place within the carton. When the carton is loaded, diecuts 58 and 60 do not completely envelop the cap of the container. Also the top of the cap of the container rests against top closure panel 48 and circle segments 62 and 64 shown in FIG. 2. Circle segment 62 is a portion of the reverse side of section E while circle segment 64 is a portion of the reverse side ofsection F. Generally when the carton is loaded the cap in addition is forced against one side of the carton and the bottle rides at a slight tilt.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. l-3, perforated lines 54 and 56 are each approximately 1 V8- inches, while side panels 34, 46, 36 and 50 are each approximately 4-inches in height and about 1 r-inch in width. The height of the carton should generally be the height of the container. Any variance in the height of the container and the sizes of panels, segments and other portions of the carton will depend on the size of the container and the size of the container cap. The size and shape of the cap of the container are critical only to the extent that the cap should be capable of being trapped in the web-lock construction of the container.

The carton of the invention can be made of any material that could be used to form a folding carton with a web-lock closure. Paperboard, cellulose acetate, foil board, poly board, foamguard, E-Flute corrugated materials and synthetic and natural plastics are illustrative materials. Substantial portions of material can be cut as desired from side panels of the carton to expose the container without weakening the lock on the container.

In FIG. 1 score lines 3 and 5 are areas to be diecut only if the bottom closures are to be automatically closed by machine (C.M.V. slot or Tuk-A-Matic slot). Side seam panel 20, which is a glue flap, could be attached to side panel 34 rather than side panel 50 as in FIG. 1. Moreover, the web-lock construction illustrated by sections A, B, E, D, C and F could be at either end (top or bottom) of the container.

The embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 are subject to various other modifications. Thus, in FIG. 4 there is illustrated a container blank in which tucks 100, 102 and 104 have been substituted for the reverse tucks of FIG. 1, viz. 52, 44 and 40. In addition, panels 106, 108, and 112 have cut portions 107, 109, 111 and 113. These cut portions allow for a ready view of the container when the carton is in an assembled position. Also, slight modifications, as shown in FIG. 4, have been made in the side seam (glue flap) 114, sections 116 and 118 and flap 120.

FIG. 5 is a container blank of a straight tuck carton with the web lock on top, broadly shown as 130, and a bellows corner broadly shown as 132. Various modifications in addition, and as shown in FIG. 5, have been made to the bottom and top flaps. The FIG. 5 embodiment is for hand setup.

In this specification and in the following claims reference is made to top closure subpanels and contiguous panels." Top closure subpanels merely refer to the end of the carton wherein the top of the container rests. In actuality, it may be considered the bottom end of the carton. Also, the term contiguous is intended to define merely panels adjacent one another as panels 50, 36, 46 and 34 in FIG. 1.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the illustrative embodiment may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

-What is claimed is:

1. A blank of foldable sheet material, in which a first group of four parallel score lines divides said blank into four contiguous panels of substantially equal width and a side seam glue flap panel smaller in width than each of said four contiguous panels and in which a second group of top and bottom score lines parallel to each other and approximately perpendicular to said first group of score lines divide at least three of said four contiguous panels into side panels, at least three contiguous top closure subpanels and at least one bottom closure subpanel, each of the outer two top closure subpanels of said three contiguous top closure subpanels comprising three sections, the first and second sections of which are separated by a diagonally perforated line and the third section of which is separated from the second section by a diagonal score line,'each of said third sections containing a diecut with each diecut providing a circle segment, each of said diecuts together with each of said first and second sections collectively forming a web-lock for locking the cap of a tapered container when the carton is in an assembled position; said top closure subpanel between said outer two top closure subpanels containing a substantially square section of a length and width substantially equal to the width of said four contiguous panels.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.

3. A carton according to claim 1 wherein each of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.

4. A blank of foldable sheet material; in which a first group of four parallel score lines divides said blank into four contiguous panels of substantially equal width and a side seam glue flap panel smaller in width than each of said four contiguous panels and in which a second group of top and bottom score lines parallel to each other and approximately perpendicular to said first group of score lines divide at least three of said four contiguous panels into side panels, at least three contiguous top closure subpanels and at least one bottom closure subpanel, each of the outer two top closure subpanels of said three contiguous top closure subpanels comprising three sections, the first and second sections of which are separated by a diagonally perforated line and the third section of which is separated from the second section by a diagonal score line, each of said third sections containing a diecut with each diecut providing a circle segment, each of said diecuts together with each of said first and second sections collectively forming a web-lock for locking the cap of a tapered container when the carton is in an assembled position; said top closure subpanel between said outer two top closure subpanels containing a substantially square section ofa length and width substantially equal to the width of said four contiguous panels, and a tuckend flap foldably connected to said square section.

5. A carton according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.

6. A carton according to claim 4 wherein each of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.

7. A blank of foldable sheet material, in which a first group of four parallelscore lines divides said blank into four contiguous panels of substantially equal width and a side seam glue flap panel smaller in width than each of said four contiguous panels and in which a second group of top and bottom score lines parallel to each other and approximately perpendicular to said first group of score lines divide at least three of said four contiguous panels into side panels, at least three contiguous top closure subpanels and at least one bottom closure subpanel, each of the outer two top closure subpanels of said three contiguous top closure subpanels comprising three sections, the first and second sections of which are separated by a diagonally perforated line and the third section of which is separated from the second section by a diagonal score line, each of said third sections containing a diecut with each diecut providing a circle segment, each of said diecuts together with each of said first and second sections collectivelty forming a web-lock for locking the top and sides 0 the cap of a tapered container w en the carton 8. A carton according to claim .7 wherein at least one Q of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.

9. A carton according to claim 7 wherein each of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.

10. A blank of foldable sheet material, in which a first group of four parallel score limes divides said blank into four contiguous panels of substantially equal width and a side seam glue flap panel smaller in width than each of said four panels and in which a second group of top and bottom score lines parallel to each other and approximately perpendicular to said first group of score lines divide each of said first and third panels into a side panel, top closure subpanel and bottom closure subpanel, said second panel into a. side panel and a top closure subpanel and said fourth panel into a side panel and a bottom closure subpanel, each of said top closure subpanels of said first and third panels comprising three sections, the first and second sections of which are separated by a diagonally perforated line and the third section of which is separated from the second section by a diagonal score line, each of said third sections containing a diecut with each die-cut providing a circle segment, each of said diecuts together with each of said first and second sections collectively forming a weblock for locking the cap of a tapered container when the carton is in an assembled position; said top closure subpanel between said outer two top closure subpanels containing a substantially square section of a length and width substantially equal to the width of said four contiguous panels.

11. A carton according to claim 10 wherein at least one of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.

12. A carton according to claim 11 wherein each of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for view ing the container when the carton is'loaded. 

1. A blank of foldable sheet material, in which a first group of four parallel score lines divides said blank into four contiguous panels of substantially equal width and a side seam glue flap panel smaller in width than each of said four contiguous panels and in which a second group of top and bottom score lines parallel to each other and approximately perpendicular to said first group of score lines divide at least three of said four contiguous panels into side panels, at least three contiguous top closure subpanels and at least one bottom closure subpanel, each of the outer two top closure subpanels of said three contiguous top closure subpanels comprising three sections, the first and second sections of which are separated by a diagonally perforated line and the third section of which is separated from the second section by a diagonal score line, each of said third sections containing a diecut with each diecut providing a circle segment, each of said diecuts together with each of said first and second sections collectively forming a web-lock for locking the cap of a tapered container when the carton is in an assembled position; said top closure subpanel between said outer two top closure subpanels containing a substantially square section of a length and width substantially equal to the width of said four contiguous panels.
 2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.
 3. A carton according to claim 1 wherein each of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.
 4. A blank of foldable sheet material, in which a first group of four parallel score lines divides said blank into four contiguous panels of substantially equal width and a side seam glue flap panel smaller in width than each of said four contiguous panels and in which a second group of top and bottom score lines parallel to each other and approximately perpendicular to said first group of score lines divide at least three of said four contiguous panels into side panels, at least three contiguous top closure subpanels and at least one bottom closure subpanel, each of the outer two top closure subpanels of said three contiguous top closure subpanels comprising three sections, the first and second sections of which are separated by a diagonally perforated line and the third section of which is separated from the second section by a diagonal score line, each of said third sections containing a diecut with each diecut providing a circle segment, each of said diecuts together with each of said first and second sections collectively forming a web-lock for locking the cap of a tapered container whEn the carton is in an assembled position; said top closure subpanel between said outer two top closure subpanels containing a substantially square section of a length and width substantially equal to the width of said four contiguous panels, and a tuck-end flap foldably connected to said square section.
 5. A carton according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.
 6. A carton according to claim 4 wherein each of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.
 7. A blank of foldable sheet material, in which a first group of four parallel score lines divides said blank into four contiguous panels of substantially equal width and a side seam glue flap panel smaller in width than each of said four contiguous panels and in which a second group of top and bottom score lines parallel to each other and approximately perpendicular to said first group of score lines divide at least three of said four contiguous panels into side panels, at least three contiguous top closure subpanels and at least one bottom closure subpanel, each of the outer two top closure subpanels of said three contiguous top closure subpanels comprising three sections, the first and second sections of which are separated by a diagonally perforated line and the third section of which is separated from the second section by a diagonal score line, each of said third sections containing a diecut with each diecut providing a circle segment, each of said diecuts together with each of said first and second sections collectively forming a web-lock for locking the top and sides of the cap of a tapered container when the carton is in an assembled position; said top closure subpanel between said outer two top closure subpanels containing a substantially square section of a length and width substantially equal to the width of said four contiguous panels, a tuck-end flap foldably connected to said square section; said bottom closure subpanel containing a substantially square section of a length and width substantially equal to the width of said four contiguous panels; and a tuck-end flap foldably connected to said square section of said bottom closure.
 8. A carton according to claim 7 wherein at least one of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.
 9. A carton according to claim 7 wherein each of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.
 10. A blank of foldable sheet material, in which a first group of four parallel score lines divides said blank into four contiguous panels of substantially equal width and a side seam glue flap panel smaller in width than each of said four panels and in which a second group of top and bottom score lines parallel to each other and approximately perpendicular to said first group of score lines divide each of said first and third panels into a side panel, top closure subpanel and bottom closure subpanel, said second panel into a side panel and a top closure subpanel and said fourth panel into a side panel and a bottom closure subpanel, each of said top closure subpanels of said first and third panels comprising three sections, the first and second sections of which are separated by a diagonally perforated line and the third section of which is separated from the second section by a diagonal score line, each of said third sections containing a diecut with each die-cut providing a circle segment, each of said diecuts together with each of said first and second sections collectively forming a web-lock for locking the cap of a tapered container when the carton is in an assembled position; said top closure subpanel between said outer two top closure subpanels containing a substantially square section of a length and width substantially equal to the width of said four contiguous panels.
 11. A carton according to claim 10 wherEin at least one of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded.
 12. A carton according to claim 11 wherein each of said four contiguous panels has a cut portion for viewing the container when the carton is loaded. 